Surgical instrument



A. B. COUCH. SURGICAL INSTRUIVIEIJT.` APPLICATION FILED MAY24.1921.

L41 7,14% Patented May 23,1922.

v VEA/ron WIr/5885s N AT BERT 1B. COUCH, 0F MARLINyTEXASQ SlURGlEGAL INSTRUMENT.

iaifnifia.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it lrnovvn'that l, ALBERT B. COUGH, a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Marlin,` in the county of Falls and State ot Texas, have invented a new and lmpro ved Surgical lnstrument, oit which the following is a description.

lli/ly invention `relates to an instrument 'for use in performing the operation of circumcision and has for its general object to pro vide an instrument whereby the stated operation may be performed essentially AWithout pain and bloodlessly.

'.llie inveiitionliasfor a further object to provide jan instrument tor the stated use so 'lorined tliattlie glands cannot be injured in the operation. t c t lle-terence is `to be had to the accompanying drawings 'forming a part of this speci :tication7 it being understood that the draivings are merely illustrative oit one example y ot tlie'invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation `o'ffthe instrument; i

Figure 21s a longitudinal section on line 9.-2, Figure 1 g.

Figure 3 is a lront end view;Y Figures alf and 5 are cross sections onthe lines/1&4., and iw-5, Figure 2.

ln carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example, a barrel like body 10 is formed with its open end 11 ot enlarged diameter adapted tor the insertion oit the organ to be operated on, the toreskm in practice beingI drawn over said open end to telescope the same. At the interior el the open end 11 are longitudinal ribs 12 at intervals against which the organ bears, said ribs presenting longitudinal grooves 1.3 adapted to receive a surgical needle atthe exterior of the end 11. An annular groove ll/t is 'formed atthe exterior, and from said groove 1.4L the longitudinal grooves 13 lead.

Forward oit the annular `groove 14 the bar- `rclor body l() is provided with spurs 15 With which the :forward end ot the fore-skin may be engaged.y` after which a ligature is `made secure just iii-:Front of the spurs 15.

A second ligature is .made secure near the expanded portion ot the barrel, and the encision is then performed.

i Specification of Letters latent.

Patented llliay 23, 191%?.

Application filed May 24e, 1921." Serial No. 472,044.

A curved scissors, the curvature of which corresponds approximately with the cylindrical surface of body 10, is caused to follow` annular groove 1.4i as a guide, 'for severing the surplus `tore-skin. Then with curved needle, the operator follows the annular and longitudinal grooves and stitches the outc1 and inner skins under the adjacent ligature. llie operation may thus be quickly and neatly performed. It has been found that healing sets in by lirst intention because the foreskin has not been bruised as with ordi- `nary instruments and there has been no zig-zag or uneven cutting.

l would state in conclusion that vvliile the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, l do not limit myself strictly7 to the exact details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure 'troni the spirit of the invention as dei'ined in the appended claims.

l'laving` thus described `my invention, l claim:

1. An instrument of the class described having a body adapted at one end to receive the organ to be operated upon, there being `longitudinal needle grooves at said end at the exterior, as Wellas an annular `groove from which said longitudinal grooves lead,

and means on said body at the exterior be- 3. An instrument of the class described.

having a body into an end oit which the organ to be operated upon may be inserted that the 'fore-skin may be disposed at the exterior ot said end, said body presenting an annular exterior scissors groove andlongitudinal needle Agrooves adjacent to said end, and spurs on said body beyond the scissors groove for engaging the surplus part to be severed.

ALBERT B. COUCH, M. D. 

